Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-08-16

How Mosby Made Use of the Spy.

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a dispatch from st. Louis to the New
York Sun says: Mr. John w. Munsop, of
this city, who was with Col. Mosby during
the war, tells some interesting facts about
Pardaw Waraley, the Union spy of the Shen-
andoah, who died at jamestown, N. Y, on
last Wednesday. Mr. Munson said 81 was
riding with Col. Mosby one day in 1864 on a
scouting trip when one Of our men rode up
and informed the Colonel that Yankee
peddler had just driven nto Middleburg
Va, with wagon load of goods. We n ct
old Warsley, as he told us his name was, o
few hours after, sitting in his wagon with
his wife by his side. Mosby asked him
few questions and got very straightforward
answers, and with no more delay said to
him:
"'Now Warsley, let's understand each
other from the start. You are Yankee
spy sent up here to try to catch me or my
men, but we have been catching suffers too
long to be caught by as poor specimen as
you. I want to make use of you, and, as
intend, you thall make money by it. | am
not afraid to trust you. | want you to do
the shopping for my command. We will
give you orders to fill in Baltimore and
w 6SUlUSlOI, anu JOu UIlUS lu6 ROOGS
and make your big profits on them and
will protect you. If any of my men harm
you l will punish them. You can carry
this on just as long as you choose, for you
have only to report 10 your masters in
Washington, after you return there from
each trip after me, that you have not quite
caught me yet, but you hope to do so the
next time. I'll give my men notice that
they can begin making up their orders for
you at once. Recolect, l don't object to
your taking back all the information you
choose, nor to your trying to catch me or
| the men. If it amuses you it don't hurt US.
All l require of you for the protection
grant you. instead of having you shot, is
that you fill our orders promptly. What do
you say ?"
"Old Warsley was too smart trader not
| to see that this was grand chance for him,
and he not only accepted the Colonel's offer,
but lived up to it honestly, and made plenty
of money by it. At the first meeting with
him gave him an order for eight yards OF
gray corduroy, with trimmings, buttons,
lining, ETC., for nobby suit, also for u soft
hat, with gold cord and ostrich plume, also
pair of fine cavalry boots, and lastly, for
the handsomest doll baby he could find in
Baltimore Col Mosby ordered sack of
coffee and some other goods. Warsley went
back loaded with orders, and in due time he
came back with every order filed. He
charged me 81 yard for the corduroy. SO
for the hat, SIS for the boots, and $50 for
the doll baby, but he paid me 81 pound
for big box of chewing tobacco. He not
only filled orders for MOsby's men, but for
citizens generally, buying any article ordered.
We looked upon him rs godsend, and never
thought of being suspicious of him. We knew
our man too we'll Had the authorities in
Washington, who employed him, not seen
through his little game ard put stop to ii
he might have kept up his peddling to the
end of the war. Finally, when he was
found ont by his employers he informed on
some Baltimore merchants who had sold
him goods, knowing they were to 90 South,
and had them arrested. This is the only
thing we had against him. Col. Mosby new.
err tried to catch him, for Warsley admitted
very frankly who he was as soon rs he
heard Col. Mosby's favorable proposition.
Nor did the Colonel ever set any handsome
young lady to spy upon him, and Warsley
never led any handsome young lady through
swamps and byroads for his Union passes,
and Mosby's protection made travelling
along the main turnpike much handler.
Mosby never put pistol to Warsley's head,
never threatened to shoot him, never fought
duel with Gen. Lees nephew about him,
and never became his warm friend"